TSRA Optimistic at the Annual Meeting

This year’s 92nd Annual Meeting of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) reemphasized a bright horizon for thoracic surgery trainees. The consensus amongst trainees is that there is a markedly improved job market and that the professions commitment toward innovation, cutting edge technology, and excellence has rejuvenated spirits.

The AATS annual meeting highlighted this drive toward technologic innovation with minimally invasive cardiac and thoracic surgery, transcatheter aortic valve, endovascular thoracic aortic stenting, and mechanical circulatory support for heart and lung being emphasized.

The Thoracic Surgery Resident’s Association (TSRA), which represents thoracic surgery residents across the nation, presented Dr. Hiroo Takayama from Columbia University with the 2012 Dwight C. McGoon Award. The McGoon award recognizes a distinguished young faculty member in cardiothoracic surgery with an outstanding commitment to resident education and mentorship.

The outgoing leadership of the TSRA, Dr. Jason Williams (President) from Duke University, Dr. Stephen McKellar (Vice President) from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and Dr. Tom Nguyen from Columbia University are to be commended for their hard work and enthusiasm in promoting trainee issues, stimulating trainee recruitment, and interest in thoracic surgery.

At this year’s AATS meeting, the TSRA organized and hosted the first annual Spouse Support Network Mixer. Approximately 25-30 residents and spouses attended the successful event, and the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association has agreed to support future resident and spouse events.

The TSRA/AATS Residents’ Luncheon featured a keynote address by Dr. John Calhoon, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio. Dr. Calhoon commented on the importance of being prepared for the written and oral board exams.

In addition, Dr. Calhoon focused his talk on the complex nuances and need to create a balance of professional and personal development as trainees transition into their practice as cardiothoracic surgeons.

Over 3,200 copies of the TSRA Review of Cardiothoracic Surgery have been distributed internationally.

This useful book is a vademicum of cardiothoracic surgery knowledge.

The next educational project that the TSRA will undertake is a Primer of Cardiothoracic Surgery. The primer project, headed by Dr. Sam Youssef, will be a complementary book to augment the TSDA Boot Camp intended to ease the transition into thoracic residency.

There has been unprecedented interest in thoracic surgery resident leadership with 32 applicants for vacant positions on the TSRA Executive Committee.

The TSRA is committed to integrating newer training pathway residents. An ongoing dialogue of the role of faculty, traditional residents, and integrated residents as I-6 programs progress will be emphasized as general surgery residents and medical students are introduced to the field of cardiothoracic surgery.

Dr. Bryan A. Whitson is a resident editor of Thoracic Surgery News and a Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Fellow at the University of Minnesota.

This year’s 92nd Annual Meeting of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) reemphasized a bright horizon for thoracic surgery trainees. The consensus amongst trainees is that there is a markedly improved job market and that the professions commitment toward innovation, cutting edge technology, and excellence has rejuvenated spirits.

The AATS annual meeting highlighted this drive toward technologic innovation with minimally invasive cardiac and thoracic surgery, transcatheter aortic valve, endovascular thoracic aortic stenting, and mechanical circulatory support for heart and lung being emphasized.

The Thoracic Surgery Resident’s Association (TSRA), which represents thoracic surgery residents across the nation, presented Dr. Hiroo Takayama from Columbia University with the 2012 Dwight C. McGoon Award. The McGoon award recognizes a distinguished young faculty member in cardiothoracic surgery with an outstanding commitment to resident education and mentorship.

The outgoing leadership of the TSRA, Dr. Jason Williams (President) from Duke University, Dr. Stephen McKellar (Vice President) from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and Dr. Tom Nguyen from Columbia University are to be commended for their hard work and enthusiasm in promoting trainee issues, stimulating trainee recruitment, and interest in thoracic surgery.

At this year’s AATS meeting, the TSRA organized and hosted the first annual Spouse Support Network Mixer. Approximately 25-30 residents and spouses attended the successful event, and the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association has agreed to support future resident and spouse events.

The TSRA/AATS Residents’ Luncheon featured a keynote address by Dr. John Calhoon, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio. Dr. Calhoon commented on the importance of being prepared for the written and oral board exams.

In addition, Dr. Calhoon focused his talk on the complex nuances and need to create a balance of professional and personal development as trainees transition into their practice as cardiothoracic surgeons.

Over 3,200 copies of the TSRA Review of Cardiothoracic Surgery have been distributed internationally.

This useful book is a vademicum of cardiothoracic surgery knowledge.

The next educational project that the TSRA will undertake is a Primer of Cardiothoracic Surgery. The primer project, headed by Dr. Sam Youssef, will be a complementary book to augment the TSDA Boot Camp intended to ease the transition into thoracic residency.

There has been unprecedented interest in thoracic surgery resident leadership with 32 applicants for vacant positions on the TSRA Executive Committee.

The TSRA is committed to integrating newer training pathway residents. An ongoing dialogue of the role of faculty, traditional residents, and integrated residents as I-6 programs progress will be emphasized as general surgery residents and medical students are introduced to the field of cardiothoracic surgery.

Dr. Bryan A. Whitson is a resident editor of Thoracic Surgery News and a Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Fellow at the University of Minnesota.

This year’s 92nd Annual Meeting of The American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) reemphasized a bright horizon for thoracic surgery trainees. The consensus amongst trainees is that there is a markedly improved job market and that the professions commitment toward innovation, cutting edge technology, and excellence has rejuvenated spirits.

The AATS annual meeting highlighted this drive toward technologic innovation with minimally invasive cardiac and thoracic surgery, transcatheter aortic valve, endovascular thoracic aortic stenting, and mechanical circulatory support for heart and lung being emphasized.

The Thoracic Surgery Resident’s Association (TSRA), which represents thoracic surgery residents across the nation, presented Dr. Hiroo Takayama from Columbia University with the 2012 Dwight C. McGoon Award. The McGoon award recognizes a distinguished young faculty member in cardiothoracic surgery with an outstanding commitment to resident education and mentorship.

The outgoing leadership of the TSRA, Dr. Jason Williams (President) from Duke University, Dr. Stephen McKellar (Vice President) from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., and Dr. Tom Nguyen from Columbia University are to be commended for their hard work and enthusiasm in promoting trainee issues, stimulating trainee recruitment, and interest in thoracic surgery.

At this year’s AATS meeting, the TSRA organized and hosted the first annual Spouse Support Network Mixer. Approximately 25-30 residents and spouses attended the successful event, and the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association has agreed to support future resident and spouse events.

The TSRA/AATS Residents’ Luncheon featured a keynote address by Dr. John Calhoon, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio. Dr. Calhoon commented on the importance of being prepared for the written and oral board exams.

In addition, Dr. Calhoon focused his talk on the complex nuances and need to create a balance of professional and personal development as trainees transition into their practice as cardiothoracic surgeons.

Over 3,200 copies of the TSRA Review of Cardiothoracic Surgery have been distributed internationally.

This useful book is a vademicum of cardiothoracic surgery knowledge.

The next educational project that the TSRA will undertake is a Primer of Cardiothoracic Surgery. The primer project, headed by Dr. Sam Youssef, will be a complementary book to augment the TSDA Boot Camp intended to ease the transition into thoracic residency.

There has been unprecedented interest in thoracic surgery resident leadership with 32 applicants for vacant positions on the TSRA Executive Committee.

The TSRA is committed to integrating newer training pathway residents. An ongoing dialogue of the role of faculty, traditional residents, and integrated residents as I-6 programs progress will be emphasized as general surgery residents and medical students are introduced to the field of cardiothoracic surgery.

Dr. Bryan A. Whitson is a resident editor of Thoracic Surgery News and a Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Fellow at the University of Minnesota.